I think being able to handle the camera and feeling it in the hand should answer alot of questions. The rest you or the shop owner should be able to answer as concerning functions and abilities. If her previous experience is with a P&S digital, the question is if she'll be inclined to use the larger heavier film camera. So something small with a decent telephoto with maybe a popup flash would be the best bet, and there are plenty to choose from in any major brand.
Just watch out for battery hogs, check the light seals and test the meter if possible with a short roll or get a return policy.

An FG with a couple of the so-called E-series lenses is a decent light wheight choice, although the combination lacks autofocus. Myself, I use an F3 which is an old pro model. It is heavier but suits me perfect, although it doesn't work with modern flashes like the FG (without special adapters). As others have said there are also autofocus models with pop-up flash.

I agree I'd go for Nikon.. if you were not already using Nikon I'd suggest Pentax ( for the same reason as Poohblah mentioned - the mount is the same since they went bayonet ) but as you have nikons makes sense to stick with them.

I use the N80 (F80 in europe). I wouldn't go anywhere without it. If you're shooting outdoor the 35-80 nikkor that came with it should work wonders. It's not made anymore but is sold with lots of those older cameras. Indoors try the 50mm F1.8D for a cheap fast lens.

I suspect your daughter might prefer having a camera of her own. The FG is really a pretty nice little camera, and can be used in manual mode as well as Program. She could pick up a 50/1.8 lens for low light stuff and a good quality 28-85 (or so) zoom, preferably a Nikkor, but the old Vivitar Series 1 28-90 zooms were tack sharp and well made. 28mm is a lot more useful for general scenic photography than a 35mm is, I've found. It's also more convenient for group shots. You also might want to consider adding a good 80-200 or 70-210 to the stable, if you don't already have one. Then the both of you will have a decent assortment of lenses that will handle most photo situations.

I think that you should think of the weather there too, if temerature is extremely low, cameras that use a lot of power may not work properly (batteries die with low temperatures), the less battery dependent you are, the less you have problemes in extreme low temperatures.
that's why i recomend mechanical shutter cameras, that will allow her to shoot even if her batteries die because of the low temp.

+1 with cooltouch, wide angle lenses are very useful in many situations (allows you to capture a scenery, even when you're close to your subject).
zooms are useful when you travel, but they'll not provide the best picture quality, so i think that in addition to a wide angle/short telephoto (28-80 or so) a 50mm and 28 or shorter fixed focal lenght lenses are a good thing for good landscape pictures and low light conditions.

It's great to have the choice, Lori. When I received my first camera as a 13 year old in 1974, the choice was much more restricted, especially by price. Anything with a meter in it was usually expensive and I had to 'make do' with an Edixaflex 35mm with a 50mm/f2 lens.

However, that was probably the best thing that could have happened as it forced me to use a hand-held meter (my dad's Weston that he used with his Rolleiflex) and to learn about the relationship between shutter speed and aperture and the effect of that relationship on depth of field.

What I'm saying, I suppose, is that a 'manual only' camera would be my choice for anyone I was giving a camera to as it makes them grasp the basics. I can understand that composition and the final image is what we're really all after but I suspect that starting off with an advanced metering syste, programme modes and auto focus can be a disincentive to learning how to control light for yourself.